MOBILE, AlabamaWALA) – The Mobile Chamber revealed that the winner of the Small Business of the Year award was Merrill P. Thomas Co.
Each month, the Chamber recognizes a Small Business of the Month and these winners compete for the prestigious title of Small Business of the Year.
“Surreal… you look at the group of finalists and you look at the growth and the respect and the success that they had and to even consider myself or our company, you know, on the same level as those was a privilege in itself” , said Pratt Thomas.
That was real estate broker Pratt Thomas’ reaction moments after learning his company had received the Mobile Chamber’s Small Business of the Year award.
The commercial real estate company won a $10,000 prize and gained recognition within the community.
“As a leader, and as something we do day in and day out, we take it for granted. So to come here and be a part of this… it’s pretty cool,” Thomas said.
To be eligible for this award, businesses must have fewer than a hundred employees and are chosen by a committee that recognizes a small business based on criteria such as business operations and community impact.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the Chamber, the lifeblood of the region,” Brent Barkin said.
Former Shoe Station CEO Brent Barkin is the donor of the $10,000 prize.
He said this award was more than just a check.
“These people own and work in businesses,” Barkin said. “You know, they pour their blood, their sweat, their tears, their money, their lives into their business. And it’s important for them to get this recognition. It’s a big deal.
Mobile Chamber 2025 President Patrick Murphy said our local economy would not be where it is today without its small businesses.
These are the businesses that carry the brunt of the burden in our community and we are here to celebrate that today with these awards,” he said. “There is so much momentum in our community. We don’t want to hesitate and lose all of this just yet.
Barkin said he wants the awards ceremony to continue to grow bigger each year.
It encourages small businesses to start applying for the 2025 awards now.
You can find out what is included in the application process here.
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